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Isaiah Thomas is the son of an all-time great. His father was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary team, won a national title at Indiana and two NBA titles in Detroit. His son Isaiah is a 5’9″ point guard who burst into the league with energy and a need for a better team. This article explains where he sits in the pantheon of current NBA point guards, and there is a look at how he is improving the Boston Celtics with his play.

#1: The Celtics Needed Him

The Celtics needed Thomas when they traded for him. He was lost in Phoenix, and he was looked at as a guy too short to play in the NBA. Mugsy Bogues may have played well in his day as a shorter man, but that was a different NBA. Everyone is so muscular and athletic in the 21st Century that Thomas does not look as though he will survive in the league.

#2: The Celtics Are Very Good

Bradley Stevens worked wonders at Butler with lesser talent, and he is doing the same with Thomas. Isaiah plays in a system in Boston that suits him as a player, and the system will allow him ample opportunity to be an all star for as long as he stays. The Celtics may not be considered contenders for a title, but the team basketball they play is reminiscent of the Detroit Pistons of the early 2000s. Their team was predicated on moving the ball around, and Thomas is capable of facilitating an offense of that style.

#3: Thomas Sits Just Under The Elite

The elite point guards in the NBA are Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard. They stand alone in the league, and Kyle Lowry is just below them. The three mentioned are all stars no matter the season, but pundits believe Thomas is inching in the upper echelon of the league. Thomas has made the Celtics competitive in-tandem with Stevens, and they may make quite a team for several years to come. The Celtics may not win a championship right now, but Thomas makes the team better.

#4: He Is Close To Getting Paid

Isaiah will receive a max contract when his current deal expires, but the Celtics may not be prepared to pay him. He will garner a massive contract from someone in the league who is willing to overpay, and he will be in a league just under Stephen Curry and Kyle Lowry. Money causes quite a lot of problems in the NBA as teams are paying out deals to their players. They look for short-term deals that will keep their options open, and they prefer to build through the draft rather than paying three or four players too much money for a championship. Danny Ainge does not seem like the general manager who will pay everyone too much, and he will keep the Celtics near the luxury tax level.

#5: There Is Room For More Talent At The Top

The NBA leaves quite a lot of room at the top for the best players, and point guards are at a premium. Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard are forging a path for a new league that plays up-tempo offense, distributing the ball and scoring over 100 points a game. Isaiah Thomas may easily be that man, and he will blend into an offense of that style at an y time.

Isaiah Thomas is one of the best point guards in the league, but he must stay with the Celtics in order to live out his potential. Great point guards like Thomas are hard to find.